


hold me tight

by aguefortalumna



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, LOTS of pining my dude, M/M, Mutual Pining, molly has a big old crush on his wizard, molly swoons over caleb while he can't see or hear him, or can he
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:35:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25824496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aguefortalumna/pseuds/aguefortalumna
Summary: "Mollymauk, hold my hand."Molly nearly choked on his ale. “What?”As they keep watch for the rest of the Nein, Caleb slips into Frumpkin’s senses to scout the area. Knowing the wizard can’t hear him, Molly confesses a few things.
Relationships: Mollymauk Tealeaf/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 8
Kudos: 211





	hold me tight

**Author's Note:**

> i've always been too shy to post a fic, but here goes nothing! widomauk just hit me so hard that this spilled out of me. i'm watching the mighty nein for the first time and just finished ep 26. to cope, i wrote this self-indulgent piece of fluff.

"Mollymauk, hold my hand."

Molly nearly choked on his ale. He and Caleb were walking through the crowded streets of Zadash, keeping an eye out for trouble as the rest of the Nein sneaked into the building next to them.

Their plan was simple: find the room that the thieves had occupied, quickly steal back all the gold they took from the party, and avoid any confrontation whatsoever. Luckily, the particular inn that their targets had checked into was just on the outskirts of the Pentamarket. This allowed the Mighty Nein to get lost in the colorful sea of merchants, travellers and shoppers that wandered the area without raising any suspicion.

As they approached, Molly had gladly volunteered to keep watch instead of sneaking in. The gods know that with his jangling jewelry and extravagant clothing, he wasn't the stealthiest of the bunch.

Caleb had also pointed out that while Nott could pick the locks on the thieves’ things, he should remain outside to message her in case there was any sign of trouble. The rest of the group agreed, and began to make their way into the back alley to climb into the room.

That left Molly and Caleb outside, pretending to window shop and keeping a keen eye out for the faces of the thieves. Spotting a familiar street merchant, Molly excused himself to go get a drink. He bought himself an ale and sauntered back to the wall that Caleb was leaning against. Molly raised his cup in a toast to his friend and sipped from it.

Molly didn't mind spending some alone time with their resident wizard at all - far from it, in fact. For a few weeks now, Molly had caught himself staring a little too long when Caleb was studying his spellbook, his brows knitted together in an annoyingly adorable way. Or smiling longingly at Caleb whenever he pet Frumpkin in his lap. When Molly had first met him, he had a feeling that the Zemnian was his type. Now, after spending months together, he can confirm that the Zemnian was absolutely his type.

And now that same Zemnian was asking to hold his hand.

May the Moonweaver help him.

_"What?"_ Molly choked out, swallowing his drink.

"Ah," Caleb flushed, seeming to now only realize how his words could be misinterpreted. He pointed to the sparrow that sat on his shoulder. " _Bitte_. I, uh, Frumpkin."

Molly cocked an eyebrow, smiling. "Yes. He's wonderful, dear."

"No. I meant... I wanted to send Frumpkin up into the skies, to scout the area. I need you to hold my hand as I do it." Caleb said, resolutely not meeting his gaze.

Molly nodded, understanding. He had seen Caleb ask this of Nott and Beau before, to hold his hand and guide him out of harm’s way as he magically shifted into Frumpkin's senses. Despite knowing this, Molly found that his chest still jumped at the idea of feeling Caleb's fingers between his. He told his heart to knock it off.

In his silence, Molly realized that Caleb had been searching his face, waiting for a response. Molly gave a reassuring smile.

Turning impossibly redder, Caleb put his hand out and offered it to Molly. "Tap me three times if something goes wrong, _ja_?"

Molly looked down at the hesitant - and frankly, a little dirty - hand reaching out for his. Before his courage failed him, he grabbed it. "Of course, Mister Caleb."

Caleb gave a small amused chuckle at the pet name (which made Molly's heart burst even more) before staring blankly ahead and focusing on his arcane bond with his familiar.

Molly watched as Frumpkin fluttered his wings and took up into the sky, zooming over the rooftops. Looking at Caleb, he could tell that the wizard had gone deaf and blind next to him.

"Just you and me now, love." Molly said, mostly to himself.

He tried not to think about Caleb's rough fingers gently resting between his own. He tried not to think about how Caleb was biting his lip while focusing on the spell. He definitely tried not to think about how he and Caleb must look to the unknowing bystanders of Zadash. Seeing their hands intertwined, enjoying a cup of ale in the Pentamarket - like a couple on their first date.

Molly thanked the gods that Caleb couldn't see him flushing a darker shade of purple. He watched as the wizard grimaced at something - but he quickly reassured Molly.

"No sign of trouble yet. I'm going to send him to check on the others," he said.

Molly rubs his thumb against Caleb's - an affirmation that he had heard him. Caleb remains concentrated on maneuvering Frumpkin through the sky, staring straight at the wall opposite them.

Without thinking, Molly moved to stand across from him. This way, it was almost like Caleb’s eyes were looking intently into his own. It made Molly shiver. _Fuck it._

Fully knowing that he couldn't hear him, Molly confessed: "You have such beautiful eyes, dear."

Caleb gave no sign that he had heard him. Molly smiled, feeling a little braver. "I quite like your lips too. And well, all of you really."

Caleb blinks. Molly let his gaze drop to the floor and held his hand tighter. No response. 

"Actually, I like you a lot."

For a second, Caleb's hand seems to flinch in his. But when Molly looks up, Caleb still has his gaze fixed at nothing in particular. Seeing no sign of recognition in his face, Molly continues.

"You know, Mister Caleb, I don't think that you believe that you're a good person. I think you focus far too much on your past. And believe me, I can understand that." Molly chuckles.

He had decided to deal with his own past by saying "fuck that" and ignoring it altogether. Now, it was coming back to bite him in the ass. Nonetheless, he understood what Caleb was going through.

"But you were the one who told me that you believed in second starts.” Molly can’t help but smile wider. “Might want to apply that to yourself, darling." 

He would never tell Caleb this while he was conscious, he wouldn't have the guts.

"You're quite lovable, Caleb - even if you wouldn't agree. I mean, a handsome wizard such as yourself - who wouldn't love you? Can you blame me?"

Again, Caleb just blinks. Molly quietly laughs at himself. Confessing to his crush while they couldn't hear a lick of it. He's done weirder things, he supposes.

After a few more seconds of sipping ale and absent mindedly rubbing the back of Caleb's hand in silence, Caleb jolts. He seems to have snapped out of Frumpkin’s vision. He turns his head to Molly.

"They've done it. Let's go meet them at the rendezvous point. I will message Nott that the coast is clear."

He nods as Caleb leads them out of the street.

Molly can't help but notice that even as they weave through the crowds and reconvene with the Nein, Caleb's hand doesn't let go of his.

**Author's Note:**

> what part of that did caleb hear? everything? nothing? who knows.
> 
> thank you so much for reading! hope you're doing okay in these trying times.
> 
> talk to me at @aguefortalumna on twitter about these two because i'm drowning in my own feelings alone right now.


End file.
